You're a great content marketing writer because you know exactly what's hot in your field. At least you used to; now, all you can do is shrug your shoulders because you have no idea what to write. You're not really out of ideas - you're just suffering from writer's block, a treatable condition.
It's happened to everyone who ever wrote for a living, but not all cases are the same. In fact, the types of writers block are wide and varied:
- Some people run out of ideas, while others have too many at once.
- Some get stuck at one stage, but others have no idea what the next stage is.
- Some start to hate their work; others worry their readers will hate it.
Whatever the reason for your block, don't let it go on. Get out of your rut and try one of these five block-busters.
Listen to outside voices.
It's easy to get stuck in your head when trying to write great content. After all, writing is a lonely profession. But there's only so much you can create, so let someone else fill your head with great ideas.
Ask a friend to rattle off a few
writing prompts. Read a newspaper or magazine for interesting words or phrases. Watch a TV show or a movie and listen to someone else talk. Writers block can make your words sound like a jumbled mess, but listening to someone else's words just might un-jumble them.
Write aimlessly every day.
Years ago in my creative writing days, I read
The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. The one tip I tried was the "morning pages" exercise. Every morning, I wrote three pages of whatever popped into my head in the hopes of generating new story ideas.
I can't say I got any ideas out of it - most of it was illegible, and it read more like therapy than brainstorming - but it got my brain moving for the rest of the day with new ideas and improvements on old ones. If there's one thing a content marketing writer needs, it's ideas, and a freewriting session can help generate them.
Write what you don't know.
No disrespect to my clients, but writing the same things over and over is boring. No matter how much you know about a topic, you exhaust all the possible angles. Content marketing writers can break the monotony by writing about something they know nothing about.
For instance, if you know everything about bridal gowns and nothing about motorcycles, try writing something about motorcycles, such as an FAQ, a definition, or an introduction. This wakes up your brain because you're learning something new, and you might find new ideas that you wouldn't find within your usual areas of expertise.
Look at the little picture
The devil is in the details, but sometimes so is the big idea you're reaching for. As a content marketing writer, you have to come up with killer topics, but maybe you'd have better luck if you focused on the little things instead.
Say you write about consumer products, specifically new product launches, product comparisons, or news from industry giants like P&G or Johnson & Johnson. Get away from the big stuff and think of something small., like the last time you did your laundry. What did it smell like? How did the washer and dryer sound while running. You'll get a few new ideas out of the exercise, and at the very least you'll turn a slice of life into a new and different blog entry.
Do Nothing
Did you ever stop to think that maybe you're writing too much? Have you stopped to think at all? Writing is a mentally intense exercise, and yes, brains can cramp if you don't give them a rest once in a while. So give your mind a rest and do nothing with it.
Remember that stream of consciousness from your freewrites? They also happen when you're doing nothing, so do nothing now. Jog, rest, play an online game, stare at the ceiling; it doesn't matter as long as you;'re not writing. Before you know it, your mind will relax, and like a rested body, it'll be ready to work out again.
Writers block isn't fatal, but it can kill your productivity, so act quickly. Try one of these tips and get your content - and your sterling reputation as a content writer - back on track.
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